Nepal Climate & Rainfall Averages

Nepal’s Climate:

Nepal is, in theory, a year-round destination with different offerings during different seasons. For culture, heritage & sightseeing, any time of year can be rewarding. Having said that there will be the obvious road travel challenges during the monsoon (JUN-SEP) and also, there is very limited mountain viewing during this rainy season when most of the rain falls later in the day and at night.  There are 2 main trekking seasons in Nepal; spring (late FEB-MAY) and autumn (late SEP-NOV).

Spring Season (February – May):

This season is ideal for touring and trekking throughout all regions of Nepal. It is particularly suitable to trek during the months of March and April in the Everest, Annapurna, Langtang and other regions as the Rhododendrons (Nepal’s national flower of which there are over 16 varieties) are in bloom at this time. The weather is fresh and crisp with low humidity; the sun is not too hot and night-time temperatures are very comfortable even when camping. This is also an ideal time for visiting Chitwan National Park & Bardia NP for jungle safaris with good opportunities for wildlife spotting minus the heat!

Monsoon Season (June-August):

Early June is actually a very good time to visit…..tourist numbers are low and you have many important sights all to yourself. Well worth putting up with a few showers of rain for! During the late June to end August monsoons the light has an amazing clarity and the land grows green and lush with astonishing speed. This time of the year is still good for cultural exploration tours, particularly in the areas of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Pokhara, when ripe paddy fields glisten in the sun and there is a different kind of magic created by the monsoon.

Autumn Season (September- November):

September, October and November are pleasant months with some important and colourful festivals to enjoy both in the valleys and in the mountains. This season is ideal for cultural touring, trekking and Jungle Safaris to Chitwan or Bardia National Parks. October is the busiest trekking month as well as for general tourism, so just like Bhutan it’s worth considering delaying your tour/trek to late November, December, and even far as January to avoid the tourist rush.

Winter Season: (December-January):

There is no snow in the Kathmandu and Pokhara valleys, so December and January are perfect months to visit. There are fewer tourists and contrary to what most guide books say (due most likely to climate change) climatic conditions favorable for viewing Himalayan vistas are turning up in December and January. Although treks to the Annapurna Circuit and Everest Base Camp should be avoided at this time, medium and easy grade cultural treks to all regions can be made. Christmas in the Everest region or the Chitwan Jungle makes a holiday to remember.